Related papers: r-Process Abundance Signatures
Very old halo stars were previously found to show at least four different abundance 'anomalies', which models of fast rotating massive stars (spinstars) can successfully account for: rise of N/O and C/O, low 12C/13C and a primary-like…
We present new abundance determinations of neutron-capture elements Ge, Zr, Os, Ir, and Pt in a sample of 11 metal-poor (-3.1 <= [Fe/H] <= -1.6) Galactic halo giant stars, based on Hubble Space Telescope UV and Keck I optical…
The recent observation of neutron stars merger by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) collaboration and the measurements of the event's electromagnetic spectrum as a function of time for different wavelengths have…
Neutron(n)-capture elements are produced by s-process nucleosynthesis in low- and intermediate-mass AGB stars, and therefore can be enriched in planetary nebulae (PNe). In the last ten years, n-capture elements have been detected in more…
We present the chemical abundances of Fe, alpha- and neutron-capture elements in 12 metal-poor Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) giant stars, observed with the high-resolution spectrographs UVES/VLT and MIKE/Magellan. These stars have [Fe/H]…
Heavy elements are synthesized by the r-process in neutron star mergers and potentially in rare supernovae linked to strong magnetic fields. Expensive hydrodynamic simulations of these extreme environments are usually post-processed to…
Studying a range of old metal-poor stars provides information over cosmological timescales of our Galaxy. Such studies are indicative of the pristine gases and evolution of the Milky Way. Deriving stellar parameters and abundances from…
The ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Reticulum II was enriched by a rare and prolific r-process event, such as a neutron star merger. To investigate the nature of this event, we present high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectroscopy of the brightest…
Several globular clusters (GCs) in the Galaxy are observed to show internal abundance spreads in r-process elements (e.g., Eu). We here propose a new scenario which explains the origin of these GCs (e.g., M5 and M15). In this scenario,…
Elements in the range 37 < Z < 47 provide key information on their formation process. Several studies have shown that some of these elements are formed by an r-process, that differs from the main r-process creating europium. Through a…
The chemical compositions of evolved stars in Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) provide insight into the galaxy's past star formation and nucleosynthesis. Neutron-capture element abundances are especially interesting. In…
Since the discovery of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 and its associated kilonova, neutron star mergers have been established as a key production channel for r-process elements in the Universe. However, various lines of evidence,…
We follow the chemical evolution of the Galaxy for elements from Ba to Eu, using an evolutionary model suitable to reproduce a large set of Galactic (local and non local) and extragalactic constraints. Input stellar yields for neutron-rich…
The globular cluster M15 is unique in its display of star-to-star variations in the neutron-capture elements. Comprehensive abundance surveys have been previously conducted for handfuls of M15 red giant branch (RGB) and red horizontal…
The abundance scatter of heavier r-process elements (Z > 56) relative to Fe ([r/Fe]) in metal-poor stars preserves excellent information of the star formation history and provides important insights into the various situations of the…
Observations of GW170817 strongly suggest that binary neutron star (BNS) mergers produce rapid neutron-capture nucleosynthesis (r-process) elements. However, it remains an open question whether these mergers can account for all the…
Recent dynamical analysis based on Gaia data have revealed major accretion events in Milky Way's history. Nevertheless, our understanding of the primordial Galaxy is hindered because the bona fide identification of the most metal-poor and…
Recently an increasing number of studies were devoted to measure the abundances of neutron-capture elements heavier than iron in stars belonging to Galactic Open Clusters (OCs). OCs span a sizeable range in metallicity -0.6<[Fe/H]<+0.4),…
Neutron star mergers have been long considered as promising sites of heavy $r$-process nucleosynthesis. We overview observational evidence supporting this scenario including: the total amount of $r$-process elements in the Galaxy, extreme…
We present new abundance observations of neutron-capture elements in Galactic stars. These include new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) detections of the elements Ge, Zr and Pt in a group of 11 halo stars. Correlations between these elements…